Question 1

What are precast concrete elements?

Accepted Answer

They are structural components — walls, floor slabs, beams, columns, stairs and balconies — produced in a factory under controlled conditions rather than cast on site. They arrive ready: with window openings, service penetrations and full strength, so they can be installed straight away.

Question 2

What types of precast concrete elements are there?

Accepted Answer

They divide by their role in the structure. Walls come in three build-ups: solid (a single load-bearing layer), two-layer (load-bearing layer plus insulation) and sandwich (load-bearing layer, insulation and a finished concrete facade). Floors: filigree, a thin plank completed with structural topping, and solid floors, fully precast. Then frame elements — beams and columns — along with stairs and balcony slabs. Infrastructure products form a group of their own: road slabs and concrete blocks. Material choice cuts across the whole split, because the same element can be made from normal concrete or from lighter expanded clay concrete.

Question 3

What are the disadvantages of precast concrete construction?

Accepted Answer

Three, and all of them come down to decisions moving earlier. The design must be closed before production — opening layout and service routing are settled in the shop drawings, and a change after the element is cast means a new element. The site must be reachable by articulated lorry and crane, which on a tight urban plot can be the deciding factor. The foundation must fall within the tolerances of the shop drawings and be surveyed on handover, because a finished element cannot be adjusted the way masonry can. In return, most wet trades disappear, work does not stop in winter and the programme is predictable.

Question 4

Isn't a precast house the same as a panel block?

Accepted Answer

No. The poor reputation of the panel blocks dates from the 1970s and comes from how building was organised then, not from the idea of precasting: a closed catalogue of a few repeating types, production driven by plan targets, weak quality control and fit-out handed over under crisis conditions. Behind the objection, though, sits a specific fear — progressive collapse, where the failure of one element brings down the next. Today's codes answer it directly. Eurocode EN 1990 requires that a structure not be damaged to an extent disproportionate to the original cause, and Eurocode 2 makes that concrete in clause 9.10: the structure is given a system of ties — peripheral, internal, horizontal ties to columns and walls, and vertical ties. In a precast building those ties are continuous reinforcement running through the wall and floor joints; if one element fails, they form an alternative load path across the damaged area. On top of that come made-to-measure production from a specific design, factory production control, and a declaration of performance for every element type.

Question 5

How much does a house from precast concrete cost?

Accepted Answer

The scope of precasting decides it, not the floor area. Load-bearing walls alone are priced differently from a complete structure: walls, floors, stairs and balconies. Element thickness, concrete class, amount of reinforcement, the number of openings and cast-in services, and the haulage distance all feed into the price. When comparing with masonry, set the cost of the whole shell stage against each other rather than the material alone — a precast element already contains the work of several trades. We prepare a quotation from dimensioned plans and sections, usually within about a week.

Question 6

How much do precast concrete elements cost?

Accepted Answer

The price depends on the type of element, its thickness, concrete class, reinforcement and surface finish, as well as the transport distance. We prepare a quote on the basis of dimensioned floor plans, sections and elevations — usually within about a week.

Question 7

Is a precast house cheaper than a masonry one?

Accepted Answer

The material itself can cost much the same; the savings come from time and fewer crews on site. A shorter installation means lower financing, crane hire and supervision costs, and a predictable completion date reduces the risk of downtime.

Question 8

How long does it take to erect a precast structure?

Accepted Answer

The structural shell of a single-family house is typically completed in a few days of installation, and a storey of a multi-family building in around two weeks. Production runs in parallel with groundworks and foundations, so the two stages do not add up.

Question 9

Can precast elements be used for a bespoke design?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Elements are made to measure from your documentation, not taken from a catalogue of standard types. We turn the design into a BIM model in Tekla Structures — that is how every order is handled — and generate the shop drawings from it — service clashes show up on screen before anything is shipped to site.

Question 10

What does a precast structural shell include, and what is left for the fit-out?

Accepted Answer

The structure arrives from the plant and goes up on site: load-bearing and partition walls, floor slabs, stairs, balconies, beams and columns — from the foundations to the top slab. The roof structure or flat roof, windows, services, plaster and screeds, i.e. the closed shell and the developer finish, remain with the contractor according to the house design. Precasting does not change the paperwork: the building permit or notification runs the same way as for a masonry building, and a catalogue or bespoke design is adapted to the elements at the BIM model stage. Walls made of lightweight expanded clay concrete also have several times lower thermal conductivity than normal concrete, which makes it easier to meet energy consumption requirements.

Question 11

Can you build in winter?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Production takes place indoors, whatever the weather, and only the installation happens on site. Wet trades and waiting for concrete to cure — the things that delay traditional winter builds the most — are eliminated.

Question 12

Do I need a BIM model to order precast elements?

Accepted Answer

No. Dimensioned floor plans, sections and elevations in PDF or DWG are enough for a quote. The model is built on our side: every order goes through Tekla Structures, and from it we generate shop drawings, reinforcement lists and erection plans — the client also receives an IFC file. If the designer works in BIM and hands over an IFC model, that speeds our work up and reduces the risk of errors when transferring geometry, but it is not a condition.

Precast construction that shortens the build without compromising on quality

Precast structural elements

Solid walls

Two-layer walls

Sandwich walls

Filigree slabs

Beams and columns

Precast balconies

Precast stairs

Architectural concrete

Concrete fences

Solid floor slabs

Concrete road plates

JOMB plates

Concrete blocks

We inspect every element before it leaves the factory.

From single-family houses to industrial halls

Nasi partnerzy

Who we are

Precast concrete — frequently asked questions

What's happening at Formee

Connection details: wall, filigree slab, ring beam, balcony

How much does a precast wall weigh? Weights in kg/m²

Where to buy a filigree slab and what to check first

Where to buy precast walls for a house: choosing a supplier

BIM in precast: how we work in Tekla Structures

Precast delivery logistics: from plant straight to the crane

A LECA concrete house — opinions and common concerns

How much does a LECA concrete house cost?

A LECA concrete house — pros and cons

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